You are here

About Us

The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (Department) is the state agency that regulates and examines Georgia state-chartered banks, state-chartered credit unions, and state-chartered trust companies. The Department also has responsibility for the supervision, regulation, and examination of Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Banks (MALPBs) chartered in Georgia.

Financial Institutions and financial service providers are subject to strong statutory and regulatory requirements at both the federal and state levels. We share regulatory responsibility for Georgia state-chartered financial institutions with our federal counterparts (FDIC, FRB, NCUA). We are the sole regulatory agency for mortgage lenders and brokers and money service businesses (with the exception of FINCEN and the IRS, which supervise the Bank Secrecy Act, USA PATRIOT Act and other Anti-Money-Laundering efforts).

Who We Regulate

Specifically, the Department regulates the following types of financial institutions and financial service providers doing business in this State.

Georgia State-Chartered Banks

Bank Holding Companies

Georgia State-Chartered Trust Companies

Georgia State-Chartered Credit Unions

Georgia-chartered Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Banks (MALPBs)

Mortgage Lenders, Brokers, Processors and Loan Originators

Money Transmitters

Sale of Check Companies

Check Cashers

Foreign Banking Organizations

The Department does not regulate national banks (examples: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Chase, Citibank, PNC) or federal credit unions, whether operating in Georgia or elsewhere.